When I teach music publishing classes or seminars I always give an example to explain the difference between an idea and the expression of an idea. The expression of the idea fixed into a tangible medium is what is protected by copyright law.

My favorite example is to tell the class they each need to write a song that includes these ideas: trains, rain, momma, jail and pickup trucks. (Yes, lyrics still count). In the end they may all come up with something completely different and each original work would be protected by copyright law. Even if those same ideas are found in another song … the perfect Country & Western song.

Verse One
Well it was all
That I could do to keep from cryin'
Sometimes it seemed so useless to remain
But you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me by my name

Sometimes it seemed so useless to remain… We don’t know for sure if he and “darlin” are married, but in Texas it could have been a common law marriage. Watch out during those divorce proceedings for taped phone calls and emails showing up in discovery says the New Jersey Law Blog. The Alabama Family Law Blog makes it clear it takes two to tango but only one spouse to get a divorce.

Verse Three
Well I've heard my name
A few times in your phone book (Hello, Hello)
And I've seen it on signs where I've played
But the only time I know
I'll hear David Allan Coe
Is when Jesus has his final Judgment Day

RECITATION:
Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song
And he told me it was the perfect Country & Western song
I wrote him back a letter and I told him it was not the perfect Country & Western song because he hadn't said anything at all about Mama,
Or trains,
Or trucks,
Or prison,
Or gettin' drunk.
Well he sat down and wrote another verse to the song
And he sent it to me,
And after reading it,
I realized that my friend had written the perfect
Country & Western song
And I felt obliged to include it on this album
The last verse goes like this here:

Well I was drunk the day my Mom got out of prison
And I went to pick her up in the rain
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck
She got runned over by a damned old train

This additional verse that makes the song the perfect country and western song, also makes it o-so perfect for Blawg Review….

CHORUS:
And I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standin' in the rain
No, you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me
Well I wonder why you don't call me
Why don't you ever call me by my name

Until I re-read this post I thought it was the perfect Blawg Review post. Then I realized it said nothing about...

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